Ontario’s Government Cutting Red Tape to Create Jobs

TORONTO — Ontario’s Government for the People is taking action to create jobs by eliminating red tape and burdensome regulations so businesses can grow, create and protect good jobs.

Today, Todd Smith, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade and the lead minister on reducing red tape and regulatory burden, announced a package of over 30 actions to reduce the burden on job creators. If passed, the Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act will, along with regulatory changes, cut business costs, harmonize regulatory requirements with other jurisdictions, end duplication and reduce barriers to investment.

The package includes actions that would give businesses more flexibility to create jobs right here at home, such as removing planning barriers to cut red tape and shorten the time it takes to get projects off the ground.

These proposals would build on actions taken through the Making Ontario Open for Business Act, 2018, which removed onerous burdens on employers while maintaining strong protections for workers, and made it easier for job creators to hire the skilled tradespeople they need.

“We have a real problem in Ontario with red tape, which is a big part of the high cost of doing business here,” said Smith. “It’s more urgent than ever to lighten the regulatory burden so our job creators can grow and invest in Ontario. When our job creators thrive, our workers thrive.”

This package is part of the government’s multi-year Ontario Open for Business Action Plan, which is tackling the red tape that’s driving jobs and investment out of the province. The plan includes a target to reduce regulatory red tape affecting businesses by 25%. Every ministry across the government will have targets to meet, which will cut regulatory burden in many sectors.

“The Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act is the second in a series of bills targeted at getting government out of the way of the job creators,” said Smith. “We’re going to lower business costs to make Ontario more competitive. And we’re going to continue to work hard every day to create and keep good jobs right here in Ontario.”